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Yeah, I've gone off the rails and paid the price, aka, school of hard knocks. I try to keep things simple but totally HATE the one line answers that don't explain the reason for doing xyz. I really try to keep things simple and an easy read, but detailed.

BTW, I should mention to follow kit directions. Going off the rails can produce unexpected results. Those results may lead going down a rabbit hole and ultimately destroying the batch of wine.

Good discussion. As always, Bryan makes good points. We are definitely on the same page with this one. After reading lots if information about Bentonite, including manufacturers spec sheets, documentation from testing, recommended dosing from prominent wine makers/specialists, and even...

I've heard this happens but never experienced it. I typically use a full package of Dual Fine/Super Kleer to 6 gallons. Any less of a volume, I ratio down the amounts. When I open a bottle of my wines, the aroma usually can be smelled across the room. I have not experienced the slight...

Great answer! Thank you for the reply.

Yes, I have. The problem occurred in a FWK Chardonnay. The final gravity was ~1.00--more on that later. Of course, FWK's are "kit" wines, but IMO, almost identical to what comes from vineyards...meaning the juices are not manipulated as other pasteurized kits. So the problems with FWK's can...

I have made multiple FWK's both red and white. I have the benefit of a temperature controlled fermenting box for both heating and cooling musts. Most all my white wines, are fermented at ~65 to 67*F including country wines. I've tried a few reds at the lower temperature range and they turned...

IMO, one of the biggest issues with fermentations is controlling both the exothermic release of heat and applying external heat. Controlling must temperature to a very tight range is where the best wines are made (again, IMO...mostly because I do it all the time. :) ). For example if fruitier...

Exactly! Thank you. Barry

From the technical stand point and a few brief notes: * The bend of the wire will not cause heat to increase. * Something called OHM's law governs current flow, voltage, and resistance. * The current (and thus heat) is governed by the wattage of the heat belt (the resistive element). All the...

If you don't know, part of what is in the tablets is a binder. The tablets are NOT 100% Kmeta. Weighing with a scale is a good idea though.

Probably all the above :). To address terminology...COLD CRASH is a term used for making beer and not wine. Although, the process of cooling down the ferment/must/wort us used and physics is used, >cold stabilization< is more appropriate :) . The cold stabilization process is directed at...

Thank you for your comments. (Sorry, but don't know how to highlight portions of text yet.) "Why" is there a taste difference between GoFerm and preparing an overnight starter with sugar? I honestly don't know the FACTS. What I do know is evidence from reading articles/blogs/papers, etc., the...

For what it's worth, I agree with the overnight starter concept, specifically, "Since using overnight starters, I've found my ferments go far quicker -- I think the longest was 7 days and some have completed in 4. This makes sense, as the Growth Phase was initiated in a far more ideal situation...

Winemaker81 is spot on. Yeast does not stop reproducing EXACTLY at 1/3 sugar depletion. What I can tell you is that the exothermic increase starts to reduce shortly after that point. The temperature profile is very close to a lop sided bell curve with the peak being between the 1/3 and 1/2...

Yeast activity is in another time zone besides the one you are in :) . The timing of nutrient additions is based on what the yeast does and not a clock. The general accepted practice is adding the first 1/2 dose of nutrients when activity is first noticed. (I'll let you research that...

There are multiple ways to achieve similar results. Most everyone has a different method and how they make wine. I'm sure my methods are a different ball game than many others. So please take my opinions as food for thought and not necessarily "rules" or "best practices". The following are...

Thanks Matt! Best Regards, Barry

A few suggestions and thoughts. Raisins are a possibility. I tried using them in wines and did not like the taste. YMMV. I suggest leaving them out. When I get a kit, the first think I do is throw the directions away. Most all wines are made exactly the same. I've found that even the best...

Cudos to you for the diligence putting together the components. Let us know how it works out! I see a YouTube video in your future with about a billion hits :)